Electric-light fitting.



No. 816,996." PATENTED APR. 3, 1906. H. E. PLASS.

ELECTRIC LIGHT FITTING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9; 1905.

A It? u nuclease.

' trio-Li ht Fittings, of W U Nrrn a STATES HERBERT PATENT OFFICE.

E. PLASS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HOWARD MINIATURE. LAMPCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-LIGHT FITTING.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. PLASS, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, andStateof'New- York, haveinvented certain new and useful lm rovem'ents in Elec-'ch the following is a specification, reference being had therein to anddiffuse the light therefrom,

of flowers, thus ploviding an. artistic and I the accompanying drawings,which form a part thereof.

My. invention relates'to electric-light fittings, and more particularlyto a class of decorative fittings especially adapted for" table androom-decoratlons.

The main object of the invention is to pro videan'electric-i ht fittingwhich will permit the use of artificial flowers in a manner to entirelyconceal the bulbfand modify, tone,

so "as to produce the effect of a lustrousflowerior clusterhighly-decorative table or room eflect.

A further object is'to provide a fittin wherein the decorativeortions'will be he'l from contact with" the amp-bulb and protectedfromthe heattherefrom, i

A still further object is to rovide an interchangeablefittingwhichwilpresent novisible protuberanoes and be entirely devoid of all visiblemechanical contrivances; and a stillfurther object is to provideisuch afitting which will be reasonably inexpensive to manufacture andsimple-in its manner of application and in its construction.

The invention consists, ri'marily, in providing, in an electric-lighttting, the combi-i nation-with a lamp-socket provided with :meanswhereby suitable electrical connections may be madetherewith, and alampbulb, of a frame inclosing' said bulb, a trans lucent decorativecovering therefor, and means seeiired to said fame whereby it is securedin relation to said socket,,and in such other novel features ofconstruction and comv bination of arts hereinafter set forth anddescribed, an more particularly pointed out in the'claims hereto ap,ended.

Referring to the rawings, Figure 1 is a view of a table-corner,illustrating the application of my invention to table decoration.

Fig. 2 is a view of asingle floral decoration,

broken away on one side to disclose the trans lucent heart or centercovering, the frame, the collar secured thereto, and the relation of theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed-Tune 9,1905. Serial No. 264,391.

Patented ,April 3, 1906.

bulb thereto. Fig. 3 is a top view of the frame and its collar shown inFig. 2, andFig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of frameparticularly adapted for use in connection with festoon or clusterdecorations.

Likeletters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The invention has its field of greatest utility in connection withseries lamps now-commonly used for table and room decoration. As newemployed the decorative effects are producedby ordinary floraldecorations havberjof lamps, the light from which is shed uponsurrounding objects, producing an artistic and pleasin effect. Similareffects have been produced by binding flowers upon the lamp-sockets withordinary wire, the said sockets usually being of porcelain or othernon-conductive material. While effects reduced inthe abovemanner arepleasing, t ey are marred by the necessary ,GX osure' of the lam -bulbsthemselves. Afurt er difficulty is t e labor andexpenseof decoration andthe inabilityto repeatedly use the decorations.

In'the electric-light fittings shown in the accompanying drawings Iemploy the ordinary wiresa, connected with any suitable source ofelectrical supply and having strung thereon by means of terminal wires 0d a plumg dispersed or clustered thereabout a num rality of lam -socketsb, the internal construction of w 'ch is that nowin common use. Inconnection with this socket I use an incandescent-lamp bulb e of specialsize, the greatest diameter thereof being substantially that of the saidsocket. This socket b may be cylindrical, presenting outwardly a smoothbulb and be charged by the heat thereof.

The general outlines and sha e of this frame may vary, two forms being sown in the accom anyin drawin s, one semiconical, like the cart 0 arose, shown in Figs. 2 and 3,) and the other spherical. (Shown in Fig.4.)

Thisframe has secured thereto a band g,

preferably of spring metal," adapted to be clamped about the .socket band secured in placeb havin by'stitches or'in any other desired manneris a translucent decorative coveringk of a color to harmonize with the'general color scheme of the entire decoration. This'covering may be ofsilk, paper, or any desired fabric and extends downwardly to conceal theband 9 in its entirety, a suitable opening or looseness being providedto allow'for the operation of It will be observed that the frameprevents thecovering 7c collapsing so as to contact with the bulb andfurther protects the bulb from objects which 'mig'ht' break it. Thisframe being inclosed, the lamp-bulb e must be inserted through the ring9, the said bulb being of a diameter to 'permit'such an application ofthe decorative portion of the fittings to the socket b. I

To avoid a screw-clamp or other wellknown contrivance for locking theends of the band gin place, which contrivance would require some tool toadjust same and'also present an unsightly protuberance, I preferablyemploy a special locking contrivaiice which is substantially flat andwhich may be readily closedand released Toward one endthereof' the metalband 9 is bent inwardly to form a shoulder h, which when the band is\closed extends substantially radially of the ring formed by the band.The other end of the band is bent outwardly-to form an opposed lip 'i.Beyond the shoulder h the band i, is extended slightly toprovide atongue j,

which may readily be engaged by the fingernail to release the band whenlocked.

.The spring of the metal in the band g is such as to impart a tendencyon the part of said band to normally open and when there i is no solidbody within is of substantially the same circumference as the length ofthe hand between the shoulder h and lip .i'. This shoulder and lip areinoperative to lock the band. When open, the shoulder It extends at aslight angle to any radius of the circle formed by the band 9, so thatas the two ends of the said band are, brought together with oneoverlapping the other the sho'ulder h is at Ya slight angle to the lipi, thus forming a slight bevel, which aids in clamping the band upon thesocket I); As the shoulder h is brought over and pressed down upon thelip the ds thereof interlocked. Enve oping theframe f and securedthereto 7 i the former describes a small arc and finally engages thesaid lip substantially radially of the inclosed Socket 6, said shoulderand said lip being parallel to each other. The chamfered efl'e'ctproduced by the band between the shoulder 7t and tongue aids in securingtheengagement of the said shoulder and the said lip.

When locked, the end bearing the lip i is I pressed against the socket band there is no looseness in the band g. The spring in the metal tendsto cause the shoulder h to inscribe a similar arc to that taken inlooking, the arallel surfaces of the said shoulder and the ipi engagingeach other, however, preventing such movement and locking the two endstogether, thus holding the frame f in p0 and the con-.

sition'relative to the socket b tained lamp-bulb.

To look the band in place, it is merely necessary to press the two endstogether and force the shoulder it over and upon the lip i,

and to release it a slight upward pressure on the tongue'j suflices toovercome the afore' said =binding action between said shoulder andsaid-lip.

The decorative frame may be quickly applied to-and removed from alamp-socket by v merely. slip ing it over the lamp and its TOO coveringtending to detract from the finished appearance of the decoration.

In the construction'hereindescribed the lamp-bulb and all its fittingsare entirely concealed within the heart of the decorations,

thus not only avoiding the exposure of said bulb, but. causing thelight-rays to pass through the various coverings and decorations,and'by. toning the light therefrom to that best'suited to produce thedesired effect,

"increasing the artlstic effects, novelty, and

beauty of the decoration.

The colors'of the translucent material employed may vary indefinitely toproduce the effect of different flowers. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to3 of the drawingsthe effect produced is that of a rose, the heart beingformed by the frame In the form shown in Fig. 4

the-frame f would have secured thereto a" cluster of pendent flowers. Ineither form the light-rays not only enetrate the covering of the framef, but a scan the surrounding decorative flowers, petals, or sheets,thus decorations instead of merely illuminating same.

' can sing the light effect to come through these Unlike with the use ofactual flowers it is possible with the aforesaid decorative fittingsdecoration, the artistic -ment of artificial flowers.

erases 1 to design an entire table or room decoration and use itrepeatedly without loss of its effectiveness and at the cost of but asingle effect and beauty of the decoration compensating for the employ-The interchangeability of thefittings also permits the use of a greatvariety of decorations with the same wiring and without the necessityfor employto in a skilled decorator or electrician.

' It is'not my intention to limit the invenfltion to the precise detailsof construction heretofore described, and shown in the acoompanyingdrawings, as I believe it to be broadly new to provide a fine-artsdecorative fittin for an electric lamp, wherein the lamp is inc osed bya frame which may be slipped over a lamp-and its socket and be removablysecured thereto, carrying translucent decorative material and havingsecured thereto or draped thereabout decorative flowers, petals,

sets. I

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desiretosecureby Letters Patent, is I 1. In an electric-light fitting, thecombination with a lamp socket, means whereby suitable electricalconnections may be made therewith, and alamp-bulb, of a frame inclosingsaid bulb, a translucent decorative covering therefor, and means securedto said frame whereby it may be slipped over said lamp-bulb and saidsocket, and secured to said'socket.

2. In an electric-light fitting, the combination with a lam -socket,means whereby suitable electrica connections may be made therewith, anda 1amp bu1b, of a frame inclosing said bulb, a translucent coveringtherefor, a band secured. to said frame where by said frame and saidbandmay be slipped over said lamp-bulb and said socket and resuitableelectrical a lamp-bulb, of a frame'inremovably till whereby it may beremovably attached to said socket, and decorative flowers, petals orsheets secured to or dressed about said frame and said band. 4. In anelectric-light fitting, the combination with a lam socket, means wherebysuitable electrica connections may be made therewith and a lamp-bulb, ofa frame inclosing said bulb, a translucent decorative covering therefor,a circular band df sprin metal secured to said frame whereby sai frameand said band may be slipped over said Iamp-bulb and said socket, theopposite ends thereof being res wardly to form a shoul to formacooperating lip, said li when the and is closed being extendesubstantially radially of the band, and a protruding end or tonguewhereby said band may be unlocked, and decorative flowers, petals orsheets secured to or dressed about said frame and said band.

- In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 5th dayof June, 1905, in the presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT E. PLASS.

ectively' bent in- Witnesses:

WM. H. BLAIN, F. T. WENTWORTH.

er, and outwardly said shoulder and

